Caden Perry
La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
(TNS)
After months of its redevelopment fate in the air, La Crosse’s fire department is asking city hall to not sell its station on Monitor Street until further notice.
As Fire Station No. 3 on Losey Boulevard is prepared for an extensive remodel, the department will need extra storage capacity for equipment and living quarters for staff. According to a request for proposals, the city will select a renovation contractor March 19.
Instead of shopping for outside storage options, the department is now recommending they use the surplus space on Monitor Street instead.
Monitor Street fire station
In place of Fire Station No. 3’s living quarters, the fire department proposed setting up amenities at the surplus Monitor Street fire station. In order to do so, the city must rescind the Monitor Street station’s surplus status.
The City Plan Commission voted unanimously to pull the station’s surplus status Monday. The Finance & Administration committee is expected to debate the resolution Thursday and the full city council on March 13.
“Obviously the renovation of a station is never convenient and this is making the best of a tricky situation,” Mayor Mitch Reynolds told Fire Chief Jeff Schott. “Thanks for your creativity.”
Fire trucks still won’t be able to dock at the Monitor Street station. Instead, trucks that would typically go to Station No. 3 will dock at Station No. 1 on Fifth Street. To make room for more trucks, extra supplies from No. 1 will also go to the Monitor Street station.
Redevelopment curbed for now
The Monitor Street station was marked as surplus in August. Shortly after, the city notified developers the station was for sale.
In September, two developers came forward with proposals: Karl Schilling’s commercial office space and Marty Walleser’s community workspace.
The Board of Public Works voted to take Schilling’s proposal in October. When the sale came to city hall in December, Walleser introduced his plans once more, claiming his proposal did not get a fair shake. This prompted a pivot from city council and a rejection of the sale to Schilling for the time being.
Monitor Street fire station plan spiked by La Crosse council
La Crosse city council rejects sale of Fire Station No. 2, seeks other offers before moving forward.
The rejection triggered a revisit to bids on the fire station. Proposals were supposed to be reviewed in April. However, now that the fire department wants to remove the station’s surplus status, it’s unlikely proposals will be seen until remodels at Station No. 3 are completed.
Schott said he intends to declare the Monitor Street station as surplus again once the remodel process is over and storage items can return to their respective stations.
See inside the new $7.2M La Crosse fire station
The city of La Crosse held an open house event Thursday for La Crosse Fire Department Station No. 2 next to the UW-La Crosse campus.
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